123 W 111/409
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Alling)
M. Tixier and M. Baudet called to make inquiries regarding Mr. Wadsworth’s mission to Syria and the Lebanon. I told them that I had understood Mr. Wadsworth had outlined to them informally the [Page 663] general nature of his proposed relationship with the French, Syrian, and Lebanese authorities. I added that I believed he had told them that he proposed to call informally on the French Delegate General Catroux prior to his audiences with the Chiefs of State of Syria and the Lebanon. M. Tixier inquired why Mr. Wadsworth’s call on General Catroux was to be informal. I replied that Mr. Wadsworth was accredited to the Presidents of Syria and of the Lebanon and although he of course would have a relationship with General Catroux, it was difficult to recognize the Fighting French request that we recognize the independence of these two territories while apparently at the same time maintaining that our representative should make a formal call on General Catroux. I said that it was our understanding that the British Minister had called first on the Syrian and Lebanese Presidents and that this had created difficulties with General Catroux. We were, therefore, only trying to find a middle course which we hoped would be satisfactory to all concerned.
I explained to M. Tixier and M. Baudet that it had not been the general practice of this Government to request agréments for diplomatic agents whom we considered in a different category from envoys extraordinary and ministers plenipotentiary. I said that diplomatic agents were sent only to countries which did not enjoy full sovereignty such as Bulgaria when it was still nominally part of the Ottoman Empire, Egypt when under the same status and Morocco as it was at present. M. Tixier said that the Fighting French Committee did not appear to question our failure to obtain an agrément for Mr. Wadsworth. Furthermore, he wished to make clear that Mr. Wadsworth was personally most acceptable. M. Tixier added however, that he thought it was important to avoid giving the impression that the National Committee was to be confronted with a fait accompli and that he had hoped that it would be consulted or at least informed regarding the nature of Mr. Wadsworth’s credentials. I said that Mr. Wadsworth’s letters of credence were in the usual form except for the fact that we had had to take account of the fact that Syria and the Lebanon did not enjoy full sovereign rights. I said that with that in mind Mr. Wadsworth’s letters of credence pointed out that his appointment was a manifestation of the American Government’s sympathy with the aspirations of the Syrian and the Lebanese peoples for independence while recognizing that the exercise of full sovereign power by their Governments is today circumscribed by conditions necessitated by the war. I explained that the last phrase was practically identical with the formula which had been used by General De Gaulle. I inquired whether M. Tixier perceived any objection to such a statement. He said that personally he did not but that he hoped very much that it would be possible for us to furnish him for communication to the Fighting French National Committee with a copy [Page 664] of Mr. Wadsworth’s letters of credence. He said he thought it was important that the Committee have this information for communication to General Catroux and that to avoid friction or misunderstanding between the Committee and General Catroux it would be better to have the information come from London to the General rather than for Mr. Wadsworth to inform General Catroux of the nature of his letters of credence only after Mr. Wadsworth’s arrival in Beirut. I said that I would inquire whether there was any objection to furnishing M. Tixier informally with a copy of the pertinent paragraph of Mr. Wadsworth’s letters. M. Baudet said he understood that Mr. Wadsworth was intending to make certain remarks at the time of the presentation of his letters to the Chiefs of State of Syria and the Lebanon Republic. He said it would be most desirable if we could furnish the Fighting French National Committee with a copy of the proposed remarks. I said that these remarks were merely an elaboration of the statements in Mr. Wadsworth’s letters of credence which I had already outlined.